Articulated, spring-controlled intake valve

Abstract

An articulated, spring-controlled intake valve, for use in controlling induction flow through an intake port of an induction passage in an internal combustion engine, includes a valve head and a separate valve stem connected together by a hinge member with one end thereof pivotally secured to the valve stem and its opposite end fixed to the valve head with one end of a flexure spring sandwiched therebetween, the opposite end of the flexure spring being secured by a clamp member to an internal wall defining a portion of the induction passage.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A valve controlled induction system for an internal combustion engine including a cylinder head having an induction passage therein terminating at an annular beveled valve seat defining an inlet port to a combustion chamber on the combustion side of the cylinder head, a through stem guide bore in said cylinder head opening into said induction passage concentric with said valve seat, a valve stem reciprocably journaled in said stem guide bore, a flexure spring of flat spring material, a clamp means fixed to said cylinder head within said induction passage with one end of said flexure spring secured between said clamp means and said cylinder head, a valve head, and a hinge means, said hinge means having one end thereof pivotally connected to said valve stem off-center of the axis thereof and having its opposite end fixed to said valve head, with the opposite end of said flexure spring sandwiched therebetween, whereby said valve head is positioned for movement upon reciprocation of said valve stem between a closed position at which said valve head is in seated engagement with said valve seat and an open position at which said valve head is in pivoted and axially spaced-apart relation relative to said valve seat. 
     
     
       2. An articulated, spring-controlled intake valve for use in controlling induction fluid flow through an intake port at the downstream end of an induction passage in the cylinder head of an engine, said intake valve including a valve stem having an axial extending stem portion positionable for reciprocating movement in the cylinder head, a valve head means, pivot means pivotally securing said valve head means to said valve stem for pivotal movement about a pivot axis spaced a predetermined off-set distance from the axis of said stem portion, and a flexure spring of flat spring material fixed at one end to said valve head means a predtermined distance from the pivot axis of said pivot means and adapted to be fixed at its other end to the cylinder head within the induction passage therein upstream of the intake port in terms of fluid flow through the induction passage. 
     
     
       3. An articulated, spring-controlled intake valve for use in controlling induction fluid flow through an intake port at the downstream end of an induction passage in the cylinder head of an engine, said intake valve including a valve stem having an axial extending stem portion adapted for reciprocating movement in the cylinder head and a stem head at one end of said stem portion, a valve hinge, a pivot means pivotally securing said valve hinge at one end thereof to said stem head for pivotal movement about an axis spaced a predetermined off-set distance from the axis of said stem portion, a flexure spring of flat spring material, and a valve head, said valve head being operatively fixed to the opposite end of said valve hinge with one end of said flexure spring sandwiched therebetween, said flexure spring being adapted to be fixed at its other end to the cylinder head within the induction passage therein upstream of the intake port, whereby said flexure spring is operative to control the pivotal movement of said valve hinge and therefor of said valve head relative to said valve stem during valve opening and closing axial movement of said valve stem.